ส่วนประสมการตลาดที่มีผลต่อผู้บริโภคในการซื้อกาแฟสดในนครหลวงเวียงจันทน์ สาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยประชาชนลาว

Abstract

This independent study aimed to study marketing mix affecting consumers towards purchasing fresh roasted coffee in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Sample of the study was identified to 400 consumers. Questionnaires were used as the tool to collect data. Data were, then, analyzed by the use of descriptive statistic, consisting of frequency, percentage and mean, as well as the Independent Sample T-test. The findings presented that most respondents were female in the age of 30 – 39 years old. They worked as a state enterprise employee and earned average monthly income at the amount of 1,500,001 – 4,000,000 Lao Kip. Their education background was in the bachelor’s degree or equivalence. The results of the study revealed that the majority drank coffee at once in a morning of every day. They drank fresh roasted coffee in Dao Coffee brand at their workplace, where the coffee machine was provided. They made a cup of coffee by using the coffee machine rather than coffee dripper (or paper filter). Reasons of drinking fresh roasted coffee were to awake themselves and to freshen themselves, accordingly. Arabica and Robusta were their favorite coffee varieties which were ranked in similar percentages. Basic qualification of the fresh roasted coffee that they preferred was to have better smell than instant coffee. For those who purchased organic coffee, they stated that they purchased it because it was good for health. For the first group of respondents who purchased fresh roasted coffee, their main reason of specifically purchasing Lao fresh roasted coffee was to consume domestic product. Most of them preferred to purchase the medium blended favor at the frequency of once in a month. In each time, they purchased 1 packet from general retail stores. Person influencing purchasing decision was the respondents themselves. For the second group of respondents who purchased fresh roasted coffee bean, their main reason of specially purchasing Lao fresh roasted coffee bean was to have good taste. Most of them preferred to purchase the medium blended favor at the frequency of once in a month. In each time, they purchased 1 packet from minimarts. Person influencing purchasing decision was friends. For the third group of respondents who purchased both fresh roasted coffee and fresh roasted coffee bean, their main reasons were to serve different satisfaction of family members and to be able to taste variety of coffees, which were ranked in equal percentages. The results of the study on marketing mix factors affecting the consumers towards purchasing fresh roasted coffee presented that according to the mean rates, the respondents, in an overview, respectively ranked the product, place and price factors at high level. In the meanwhile, the promotion factor was ranked at moderate level. Hereafter were shown the top ten elements, ranking by means values, that affected the consumers towards purchasing fresh roasted coffee: being a production from Lao PDR., smell of the coffee, coffee freshness (new) and good taste, being easy-to-purchased product, fame of the coffee brand, varieties of coffee favors and coffee intensity scales, clean and safe production process and clear price tag, convenient location of product distribution stores, no problem on being short supply of the products, and having an official mark to certify product safety from the Office of Food and Drug Administration and having wide range of prices according to product packages. The findings indicated that according to the classification on gender and average monthly income, all marketing mix factors affected the purchase of fresh roasted coffee indifferently. However, according to the classification on frequency of drinking coffee, the marketing mix factors differently affected the purchased of fresh roasted coffee in many elements, at statistical significance, as follows. In product factor, the differences were found in clean and safe manufacturing processes and to be the coffee of Lao PDR. In place factor, the differences were found in convenient transportation to distribution stores, ease of finding products, and full arrangement of all products (with brand varieties). In promotion factor, the differences were found in advertisement on printed media, radio, and television, free trail product, availability of product consultant, product discount, availability of lucky-draw, rewards, and premiums, and arrangement of social-engaged activities.